Humphrey Terminal: 2020

The Humphrey Terminal currently houses Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Air Tran Airways and the airport’s charter airlines. Under the 2020 Vision Plan, all non-SkyTeam member airlines would be moved to the Humphrey Terminal. Airlines moving to the terminal would include Air Canada, AirTran Airways, America West, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Icelandair, United Airlines and US Airways.

In order to accommodate the airlines moving from the Lindbergh Terminal, the Humphrey Terminal would have be expanded. Construction of new gates, more ticketing space, and a larger baggage area would accommodate the new airlines and future growth. Across the roadway from the terminal, ground transportation improvements would alleviate congestion brought by increased passenger traffic at the terminal.

In 2004, Northwest Airlines proposed the MSP 2020 Vision Plan which expands both the Humphrey and Lindbergh Terminals to accommodate growth at the airport. The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) approved Phase I of the project on December 14, 2005. On April 17, 2006, the MAC voted to delay the plan due to slower than expected growth at the airport. Recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) traffic forecasts show that MSP will not reach the previously forecasted 2007 level until the year 2010.

Phase I Expansion & Improvements

Under the 2020 Vision Plan, all airlines not belonging to the SkyTeam Airline Alliance would move from the Lindbergh Terminal to the Humphrey Terminal. The move would include seven airlines (Air Canada, AirTran, American, Frontier, Icelandair, United, and US Airways) and an estimated 6.5 million passengers. Phase I of the 2020 Vision Plan expands the Humphrey Terminal to accommodate the increased traffic.

Gate analysis done by the Metropolitan Airports Commission in 2005 showed that the Humphrey Terminal will require 12 additional gates to accommodate the exiting and new tenants of the Humphrey Terminal. Current expansion plans call for the construction of 7 gates to the north and 5 gates to the south of the current terminal. This expansion would bring the total number of gates to 22. Work on expanding the structure is scheduled to commence in 2008 and be completed in late 2010 or early 2011.

The expanded terminal building would include more space for ticketing and baggage systems. The ticketing lobby would double in size and three additional baggage carousels would be added to the current four carousels. Behind the scenes, an in-line explosive detection system would screen baggage for explosives while en route from the ticketing lobby to the airplanes. Additionally, two additional security screening checkpoints would assist in screening passengers and carry-on baggage.

The Ground Transportation Center at the Humphrey Terminal would be expanded in order to be comparable to the Lindbergh Terminal Ground Transportation Center. Improvements would include redesigned facilities for taxis, limousines, van services and other commercial vehicles. An auto rental facility would be added to the Humphrey Terminal which would house the airport’s on-site car rental companies. To the south of the parking ramps would be a Car Rental Service Facility for servicing rental cars between users.

Phase II Expansion & Improvements

Expansion of the Humphrey Terminal could be approved once demand warrants increased the gate space. After the Phase I expansion, the terminal building would be able to be extended even further to the south. The seven gate extension would be located south of the terminal’s parking ramps and attached to the end of the terminal. Moving sidewalks along the length of the terminal would expedite the movement of passengers to existing and future gates.

It is expected that traffic at the Humphrey will warrant an expansion of the terminal around 2012 or 2013. The twenty-nine gates of the expanded terminal would accommodate growth of the airlines at the Humphrey into the mid to late 2010s. New gates constructed could be either designated common-use by all airlines of the terminal or could be allocated to specific airlines.

Taxiway C Extension

Taxiway C by the Humphrey Terminal is planned to be extended as a part of the MSP 2020 Plan. This extension will accommodate increased remain overnight (RON) aircraft at the expanded Humphrey Terminal. Taxiway C will be extended 1,200 feet south to connect with the Humphrey Terminal Remote Apron. This extension will provide another way to access the Humphrey Remote Apron and alleviate possible congestion. It is expected that this project will be scheduled for the year 2010.

Graphics on this page were produced by Miller Dunwiddie Architecture for the Metropolitan Airports Commission. Edited for clarity.

Content originally written and published by Timothy Hannan.